National Stop Snoring Week supported by Sleep Street

Snoring may be classified as a bit of a joke, but if your partner snores all night every night, it’s no laughing matter. New sleep specialist website, Sleep Street, actively supports National Stop Snoring Week, w/c 18-23 April 2005, by offering information, advice and top tips for the UK’s 15 million snorers available at any time of day – or night – at www.sleepstreet.com.

What is Snoring?
At night when we sleep the muscle tone of the upper airway relaxes, in some people a blockage of the airway occurs producing a snore. A conventional snore is quite rhythmic and occurs during deep sleep. A much more serious snore occurs at the end of a long silence when no breath is inhaled due to a severe blockage this is known as Sleep Apnoea. This is a serious medical condition requiring treatment.

Often the snorer is happily sleeping away and it’s the bed partner who suffers! This can result in separate beds, rooms or even houses and snoring has been cited in divorce cases as the main reason for marital breakdown!

Sleep Street’s Founder Nuala Whelan says, “Snoring is one of the most common sleep complaints, but in most cases it can be very easily solved. These days, there really is no need for the snorer, or the person sharing their bed, to suffer!”

Sleep Street’s Guide to Snoring Problems and Solutions:

PROBLEM & SOLUTION
Sleeping position:
Sleeping on your back you relax your tongue, chin and airways.
Excess fat may cause your airway to become squashed
Positioning your head on a pillow that maintains your open airway should stop the snoring.

Allergies and dust:
Allergies and dust can cause inflammation of the nose causing snoring.
Allergy pillows, bedding and in some cases air purifiers can rid the bedroom of dust mites and other allergy based particles.

Overeating:
This tends to more of a problem for men rather than women.
Men tend to put on weight around the waist and neck whereas women are more likely to put on weight around the hips and thighs.
When muscle tone fails during sleep a blockage occurs as the airway collapses causing a snore to occur.
Try to eat well and exercise regularly to keep weight at a healthy level.

Alcohol:
Alcohol causes the muscles to relax causing snoring.
The nasal airways become irritated causing resistance when breathing. It can also bring on Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in people who would ordinarily just snore.
If you cannot reduce drinking then just limit your last drink to four hours before you go to bed to counteract the effects.

Lack of exercise:
Lack of muscle tone produces the snore.
It is usually combined with excess weight.
Try to squeeze 20 mins of exercise in to every day – even if it’s just walking a stop further for the bus or taking the stairs instead of the escalator.

Smoking:
Smoke irritates the nasal airways causing swelling and catarrh with each cigarette smoked.
This can even occur through passive smoking.
Try to kick the habit.

Other Snoring Solutions from www.sleepstreet.com
Snore No More Pillow - £44.95
This has been designed by a Doctor to prevent snoring and is hypo-allergenic. It reduces obstruction of the airways by elevating the chin from the chest and keeping the jaw forward and the airway open reducing or eliminating snoring. It prevents the tongue from falling back, supporting and positioning the head and neck whether you sleep on your side back or stomach to improve alignment and reduce snoring.

Snore Calm Chin up Strips - £4.99
These self adhesive strips work really well in stopping the mouth falling open. This helps you breathe through your nose stopping snoring. Also prevents dry mouth and sore throat.

Snore Calm Herbal Spray - £9.99
This is used to tighten the tissue of the soft palate to prevent it vibrating, stopping snoring. Snoring can also be a consequence of "allergic inflammation" of the nose and throat. This spray relieves the symptoms of allergies such as hay fever, house dust mite and pet hair allergy.

Sleeping with a Snorer:

Remember you have a right to a good night's sleep too!
Tape record the snorer, this can then be taken to a doctor if the noise is significant
Insist on the snorer adopting a healthier lifestyle to lose weight
You may be suffering from chronic fatigue and sleep deprivation, go to bed first to try and be asleep before they join you, wear earplugs or sleep in another room occasionally to catch-up on sleep.

- ENDS -

Notes to editors:
Did you know that…….according to the Guinness Book of Records (McWhirter 1986), the loudest recorded snore measured 87.5 decibels!
Sleep Street continually works with experts to give the latest advice and information on general sleep problems. It is not, however, designed to replace medical advice. Sleep Street advises anyone who has persistent symptoms or concerns about sleep to speak with their own GP
All types of sleep-related products can be purchased on-line at www.sleepstreet.com through a fully secure payment process.